The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to analyzing and determining ampacity risks on printed circuit board (PCB) interconnections (e.g., vias, DC nets, power rails, etc.).
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an information handling system (“IHS”). An IHS generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements may vary between different applications, IHSs may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in IHSs allow for IHSs to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, IHSs may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
In the design and manufacturing process of the IHS, it is important to be able to detect areas of the circuit or system that is prone to certain risks so that corrective steps may be performed to minimize the risks. For example, it is advantageous to be able to determine regions of trace or interconnect ampacity risks on circuit boards so that the circuit trace or interconnect may be redesigned or rerouted. The term “ampacity” is defined as the current in amperes a conductor can carry continuously under the conditions of use without exceeding its temperature rating, i.e. before the conductor fuses.
Prior efforts to achieve this end have been heretofore unsuccessful because it has been challenging to model, simulate, analyze, and validate to laboratory measurements the direct current (DC) and high current and short duration alternating current (AC) transient pulse effects on the ampacity of PCB interconnectivity. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide for analyzing and determining ampacity risks on PCB interconnections to greatly improve the reliability of the IHS.